The 1995 Russian election where only four parties survived the threshold

Wars & Conflicts · Published 16 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Out of forty-three competing parties and coalitions, a massive political consolidation occurred in 1995. While the anti-government Communists emerged as the largest single bloc, the pro-government establishment struggled to maintain a dominant grip on power despite wielding significant state resources.

On December 17, 1995, Russia held legislative elections for all 450 seats in its second State Duma. The electoral landscape was characterized by extreme fragmentation: forty-three different parties and coalitions vied for representation. However, the legal framework imposed a strict 5% threshold to qualify for proportional representation. Only four entities—the Communist Party, Our Home – Russia, the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia (LDPR), and Yabloko—successfully cleared this hurdle. The voting rules were modified from the previous cycle by doubling the required signatures to 200,000. Additionally, invalid ballots were factored into the calculation of the 5% cutoff. The law also mandated that party endorsements be clearly indicated on single-member district ballots.

The Communist Party emerged as the largest single bloc, securing 157 seats. In contrast, the pro-government 'Our Home – Russia' took second place with 55 seats, despite its massive influence. This party was frequently dubbed the "party of power" due to its heavy reliance on elite political and economic figures, including most cabinet ministers.

It was even nicknamed "Our Home Is Gazprom" because of its deep ties to the financial resources of the state energy giant. Securing a mere 10.1% of the total ballots, Our Home – Russia managed to establish a faction while failing to become a primary power within regional areas or parliament. The party's platform was noted for internal contradictions, such as simultaneously seeking to encourage foreign investment while protecting domestic manufacturers. Ultimately, the election resulted in a parliament where Communists and their satellites controlled just under half of the seats, with independent deputies wielding significant influence over the balance of power. The populist LDPR often fluctuated between supporting the government and siding with the left majority. Following the vote, Gennady Seleznyov was elected as the Speaker of the Duma in January 1996. Harvard Library holds a digitized collection of over 3,000 images related to this specific election's campaign materials.

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